March 3, 2021 5:55 PM : Mejia, who went 1-for-2 with a double in Tuesday's Grapefruit League loss to the Red Sox, has pleased the Rays coaching staff with his progress early in spring training, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. "We're excited, thrilled with where he's at," manager Kevin Cash said. "We've got to make sure that we can continue getting him around the pitchers, having conversations and learning the little things that are so important that [pitching coach Kyle Snyder and bullpen coach Stan Boroski] value as far as the simple messages."
Analysis: Mejia is one of the more intriguing prospects to watch in spring camp, considering he was once considered on the fast track to stardom with the Padres organization. The 25-year-old is experiencing a reset of sorts in Tampa Bay after arriving in the Blake Snell trade, and the Rays are intent on grooming him as the switch-hitting complement to starting catcher Mike Zunino, who's only under contract through the end of the 2021 season. Cash notes Mejia has been kept busy getting familiarized with the pitching staff by catching plenty of bullpen and live batting practice sessions, and the Rays skipper adds he plans to single out certain pitchers and frequent 2021 opponents in deciding when to get Mejia game action during the balance of the Grapefruit League schedule.